Draconids and Orionids – two meteor showers this month

On:19 October 2018

Updated 19 October: Just a reminder that the second of October’s meteor showers, the Orionids, is peaking on Sunday, but they should be visible already since there’s quite a window either side. As I posted previvously, though (below), there’s a full moon so conditions are pretty poor for viewing but there should still be some to be seen especially after midnight.

Original post 1 October: There are two meteor showers this month, and the first is the Draconids this coming weekend, peaking on Monday next, followed by the Orionids peaking on the 21st but with a very wide window either side. The Draconids are rarely spectacular or plentiful, but this year there will be no moon, so viewing is optimal, and they are best viewed early evening radiating from the constellation Draco but visible anywhere in the sky. The Orionids, however, offer more of a show, being the remnants of the tail of Halley’s comet. This year, unfortunately, there’s a full moon so conditions are pretty poor for viewing but there should still be some to be seen especially after midnight. The Orionids too can be seen anywhere in the sky even though they technically radiate from the constellation Orion. For a full list of the other meteor showers this year, see HERE.

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